The Royal Military Academy's Impostor Owns a Dungeon [BL]-Chapter 913: Unhinged Deal

The Activity Center was just as described.

Bright and expansive, the interior was divided into sections that flowed seamlessly into one another. Arcade machines lined one wall, their screens flashing with color and challenge. A crafting corner occupied another space, where easels, canvases, and neatly arranged supplies invited hesitant participants to try something new. Further in, soft lounge seating curved around low tables, while that famous demonstration kitchen glittered beneath warm overhead lighting.

It was lively and partially chaotic. It sounded nothing like the desperate noise outside and maybe that was because those inside were already the lucky ones.

Just like them.

Clearly, it was worth all the effort exerted by House Orell to acquire the invites from two of their scholars who had luckily participated in the Battle of Zone Four.

Honestly, they would have missed the opportunity had they not received a tip from a spurned former comrade.

Not only had those scholars kept battle information requested by their House by repeatedly claiming that they had been knocked out the entire time and didn’t really see anything, but they had also dared to keep such invites to themselves?

If they hadn’t been sponsored by their House to study, would they have even been able to become soldiers?

Clearly, they wouldn’t have made it on their own, let alone have a chance at receiving an invitation.

Also, it wasn’t like they couldn’t attend. As annoying as it was, the invitations required the invited soldier to show up for them to be honored, so Tavian had no choice but to become someone’s plus one.

Thankfully, with there being two scholars, he was able to bring Celine along as the other plus one.

He may have been getting tired of her constant nagging, but he couldn’t possibly show up without a lover when the booth had become known as a gathering place for families or couples.

It was unbelievably tedious, and he couldn’t believe it was more difficult to gain entry here than into the Imperial Palace at the moment.

But after stepping inside, he understood the hype surrounding the place and why his father had been adamant about him taking note of everything and everyone.

And he most definitely took that order to heart.

He observed the guests. The cadets they encountered. The available amenities. The layout. The interactions. All of it was part of their effort to regain someone’s good graces.

With him taking his task seriously, it would have been impossible to miss something interesting.

A stance and face so known and familiar that it would be impossible for any Imperial citizen or enemy to forget. Someone who could definitely be of great use when handled correctly.

It would be a little difficult with Celine present, but given that woman’s expertise, it shouldn’t be impossible to pull off.

So Tavian subtly steered them toward the unexpected target.

Only to freeze.

Because as they neared their destination, he could now clearly see what the straight-laced Curtis Karswell was doing.

Was Curtis, that Curtis—making out?

__

Yes. As a matter of fact, the man was indeed in the middle of locking lips that came out from who knew where.

One hand was braced against the wall. The other pressed firmly at the small of her back. His mouth was against lips he never thought he would taste again, breath mingling and uneven, pulse loud in his ears as he struggled to process how this had even happened.

Curtis Karswell was most definitely making out.

And of all people, it was with Eden.

No one in the current years would have predicted this outcome. Not him. Not anyone who had known them back then. And certainly not as part of that unhinged deal that felt more like an unreasonable declaration than any sort of fair exchange.

The tiny witch had nearly made him choke earlier when she said it, voice calm and eyes too clear for comfort.

"Today, let me use you."

What?

She said it was a deal, and he had expected there to be some condition, some trade, something to balance the scales. Instead, she simply referred back to a promise he had made years ago.

"You once said and even insisted that one day, when needed, I could just use you."

Curtis had stared at her then, stunned.

She had been looking up at him with those big, clear eyes, the same ones that once burned with stubborn certainty when she was younger. Someone who had never wanted to speak of the past and treated it like it had never really existed was suddenly dragging it out into the open.

And the worst part was that it was true.

He had said that.

It went back to that time when they had caught her sneaking out of the manor to chase after a thief.

She had claimed she overheard a crime about to happen, but when she told a few of the staff, they only laughed it off. Thought it was cute that she was so concerned. Thought she was being dramatic. Thought she was being a child.

Eden, being Eden, could accept that she sounded a little unhinged and untrustworthy.

What she could not accept was that no one was even sent to verify it.

So she decided she would catch the thief red-handed herself.

And she had been true to her word.

If they had not arrived back from training at that exact moment to see her climbing over the wall after deactivating security, she would have run off alone to confront an armed criminal.

They managed to stop her.

Well, not exactly stop her. She only relented when they promised they would go with her to check.

Lo and behold, they really did apprehend someone, thanks to Enzo’s skill.

But it could have turned into something far worse, because the criminal had weapons. If they had not started training early, they would not have had the means to subdue someone like that.

Eden had been berated.

Harshly.

Young Curtis had wanted to tear into her reckless thought process. He had opened his mouth to do exactly that, then stopped when he saw how furious she was that no one had believed her in the first place.

And honestly, if he had been in her position, he would have been angry too.

So instead of scolding her further, despite having already fought from sunrise to sundown, Curtis had approached the angry kitten’s room.

"If something like this happens again," he had said quietly, "don’t go at it by yourself. If the others won’t listen, then fine. Tell me. And for that, you can just use me."

It was a promise made from behind a door.

A long time ago.

One that had never been cashed in, even when he thought it might finally be time.

And now, out of nowhere, she was calling it in today.

He did not know where the tremble in his chest came from, but just as usual, when it counted, Curtis found himself unable to say no.

"...Okay."

He had barely finished the word when the corner they were hiding in disappeared around him.

One moment, they were standing there, tense and hidden.

The next, her hands were on his face. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

She pulled him in.

Mnnf—!